The United States House of Representatives passed an impeachment resolution against President Donald J. Trump, a Republican, in late 2019, with mostly Democratic votes. Despite the passage of the resolution, Republicans have already achieved a desired impeachment outcome.
First, the Republican-led Senate has officially concluded its trial of President Trump and voted to acquit him of the two articles of impeachment passed in the House. This outcome was never in doubt and was a direct result of the Republican majority in the Senate, whose votes were needed to give President Trump a majority in the final vote tally. This was a success for the Republican Party, as it provides a measure of cover for them while deflecting attention away from the possibility of deeper accountability.
Second, the impeachment process has allowed Republicans to galvanize their base ahead of the 2020 presidential election. In the weeks leading up to the trial, the President and other Republicans actively pushed the idea of a “witch hunt” and a “hoax” being perpetrated against the President and his administration, while simultaneously energizing their base with fiery speeches. In the end, this strategy appeared to be successful as the Republican base is now more firmly in the President’s corner than before.
Third, the impeachment process has produced a unifying issue that transcends all Republican factions and has become an effective rallying cry for the Party. From the most conservative to the most liberal-leaning Republicans, the Party has essentially united against the impeachment process, a sentiment that has undoubtedly increased the Party’s cohesiveness and has given them a common platform to push moving forward.
Manifestly, Republicans have already achieved what they wanted from the impeachment process. It has been a political success for the Party and something that will no doubt be used as a key talking point throughout the remainder of the 2020 election cycle. Whether or not this benefit is enough to secure them a victory in the upcoming election is yet to be seen.
At the end of the day, though, it appears clear that the Republican Party has already achieved its desired outcome from the impeachment process. The details of the process may be debated but its success from the Republican’s point of view is undeniable.
